


For the Price of One

by tsurai



Series: MCU tumblr prompts [7]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Civil War Team Iron Man, Established Relationship, M/M, Not Beta Read, Pre-Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-17 19:01:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29597313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tsurai/pseuds/tsurai
Summary: Tony is injured in Siberia, his suit disabled. Loki is left to clean up the aftermath.
Relationships: Loki/Tony Stark
Series: MCU tumblr prompts [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2132658
Comments: 3
Kudos: 184
Collections: Team Iron Man/Anti Steve





	For the Price of One

**Author's Note:**

  * For [nezstorm](https://archiveofourown.org/users/nezstorm/gifts).



> for the prompt: "Can't you stay a little longer?"

“Can’t you stay a little longer?” Anthony croaks, reaching out, and Loki catches his hand before the human can overextend himself, careful of the equipment surrounding his healing bed. The last of the healers have left Stark alone in a private room, and even now the sight of him bruised and bandaged is enough to have Loki’s blood running hot with rage. 

“I must go,” he says regretfully. “Your armor yet remains in the bunker,” from where Loki had ripped it off with his seidr in panic, desperate to confirm whether or not Anthony was still alive, “and I know you would prefer no one find those dead soldiers, yes?” He gently squeezes the mortal’s hand, watching Anthony war with himself until sense overcomes sentiment, even through the haze of the pain-killing drugs. 

“Okay, you have a point,” Anthony sighs, attempting to pull away. Loki catches his hand before he does, leaning down to place a gentle kiss on his bruised knuckles. 

“I will return shortly, once all is secured,” Loki assures. He is still very tempted to go and take his rage out on the men who hurt his lover so, but taking care of Anthony and transporting him back to the Compound for healing took priority, and he knows Anthony does not wish him to take vengeance.

Not yet. Not when it would be much better served by Anthony himself. 

“I’ll hold you to that,” Anthony grumbles, his eyes already starting to droop with exhaustion and medication. Loki doesn’t do more than smile – even through the burning anger, he has only to look on Anthony’s face to bring light to his own. Even with the urgency of the situation, the possibility of someone walking into the room, Loki waits until Anthony is drifting into sleep before he carefully sets the man’s hand down on the bed and teleports away.

It will be some hours yet before “Odin” needs to show his face outside his chambers – Loki has more than enough time to collect Anthony’s suit and take care of less pleasant tasks. 

The cold air of the Siberian bunker affects him little, but the bitter wind blowing snow over the remains of red and gold armor is a reminder of how close Anthony came to dying this day. Loki gathers the pieces quickly, seething as he picks up the scraps of the chestplate with its shattered and dark arc reactor and deposits them into his personal pocket of non-space.

Then he turns to the all-too-familiar shield. For a long moment Loki has to fight the urge to simply fling the weapon that had brought such harm into the deepest depths of space, prevailing only with the knowledge that Anthony will think of a much more impactful use for it when he is ready to make his move. Regretfully, he stashes the shield away too. 

The remains of the arm he melts into slag on the spot, with great satisfaction.

It takes little effort to dispose of the Winter Soldiers, and Loki finds his thoughts drifting with the anticipation to return, back to where he can keep an eye on Anthony and ensure his safety. The danger is all around now, and though Loki is only just beginning to grasp the current Midgardian political climate, he knows that the men who left Anthony broken and bleeding here are not his lover’s only enemies.

Loki, loathe as he is to admit it, cannot be on Midgard and constantly by Anthony’s side as he would wish, not with the preparations he’s been making for Thanos both on Asgard and in other realms. Neither can he count on Rhodes, not with the man laid up in his own healing bed. Even FRIDAY watching over Anthony’s recuperation is not enough – she has no hands with which to defend her creator while he languishes, healing at the slow rate of any mortal. 

That thought is the one that makes Loki pause. 

It’s a thought that’s occurred to Loki before, of course, especially when he has little doubt that Anthony will be among those who face the Titan head on when he comes. He is human, with all the disadvantages that come with it. 

But he could be more. 

Loki sucks in a frigid breath, truly contemplating it for the first time. Such a gift would be… weighty indeed. The last person not Aesir to be given an Apple was Frigga, and she was not mortal herself before receiving it as a wedding gift from Odin. But Anthony will have little idea of the cultural implications of such a gift, will only need to know that it will heal him, will keep him from aging for centuries yet. 

Centuries he might choose to spend with Loki, should they survive the battle to come. 

The thought is both a comfort and a thrill, finally cooling the temper he’d been wrestling with ever since he’d viewed Anthony being beaten down from Odin’s all-seeing throne. And then comes doubt. He’s never heard Anthony express a wish for more strength, a longer life. He may reject the Apple, may reject all the implications that come with Loki even offering it to him. 

But Loki _wants_ , wants more than anything. If he can ensure Anthony understands the offer comes with no obligations, no strings-

Well, maybe one string. After all, it cannot be any harder to requisition two apples from Idunna, rather than one. If his friend Rhodes will accept it as a method of healing his injury, perhaps Anthony will do the same, knowing that he will be guaranteed at least one friend not lost to the passing years.

A plan coming together in his mind, Loki brushes away the last of the dust that remains of the Winter Soldiers’ bodies and departs. First he will return to the Compound to check on Anthony, and then… well, then he supposes the rest will be up to the Norns.


End file.
